By Simon Hammond

Info

Simon Hammond is a former World Surf Kayak Champion and author of the book Surf Kayaking: The Essential Guide. He runs a small kayak coaching business in the town called Shoreline Extreme Sports and is always happy to provide help or advice.

Email: info@shorelineactivities.co.uk
Web: www.shorelineactivities.co.uk
Tel: 01288 354039

Surf kayaking – this is the year! 

This is the year to have a go! The year when England is hosting the Surf Kayaking World Championships for the first time in its history. And I know you’ll think I’m biased, but whether you consider yourself a river paddler, a flatwater racer, or a sea kayaker, you should try surf kayaking.

Not many paddlers are primarily surfers, and most surf paddlers will use standard river kayaks and do a pretty good job. It’s more about understanding the environment and the way to get the most from the waves. Reading the conditions and knowing a bit of surfing etiquette will keep you safe and on friendly terms with everyone else in the water. And then a bit of skill development will soon have you bottom turning, top turning and carving across those beautiful green peeling waves.

Everyone loves a trip to our beaches in the summer, so bring your kayak when you next come down. Here are just a few tips that will positively affect your first surfing experience and help you develop into a stylish, safe and progressive surf kayaker.

What’s surfing all about?

It’s a beautiful, graceful sport that allows you to get perfectly in tune with nature. It’s certainly not about surviving the biggest wave or being able to smash out through thunderous white water.
The great thing about surf is that as waves break, they get smaller and calmer as they roll towards the beach. This means there is a place for everyone to surf comfortably. If you are developing your rolling, you can surf in the shallows. Whatever your standard, there is no need to rush to get as far out to sea as possible. Take some time catching whitewater waves and smaller green waves and start to get a feel for moving across the wave rather than straight towards the beach. Use the area close to shore to get a feel for any rips or currents and focus on being in control.

Where’s the best surf places?

Being an island nation is great for surfing, and there are places to surf all around our coastline. But it’s fair to say that some places are better than others, and some places are better to start learning than others. You’ll find the best surf wherever our coastline faces out into large open ocean. The bigger the ocean, the more chance there’ll be a nice stormy low-pressure system creating a load of waves somewhere in it. And if you’re lucky, that storm will be a long way out to sea whilst the weather overhead is sunny and calm!

The obvious surfing spots are Cornwall, Devon, South Wales, the northeast coast of England, the north and east coasts of Scotland, and Ireland’s west coast. But there are some great spots elsewhere when the conditions are right. Websites such as ‘Magic Seaweed’ and reference books like ‘The Stormrider Guide’ are invaluable in finding surfing locations that match your skill level.

Gentle waves

I recommend surfing from a sandy, gently shelving beach as you develop your surfing. Avoid dumping waves that often occur at extremely high and low tide and make the most of the gentle white water waves that roll onto the beach.

If you are on a lifeguarded beach, chat with the guards. They are a great source of information and want the same thing as you; a safe and enjoyable surfing experience. They will have loads of local knowledge and will be able to recommend the best beach, the right tide and any dangers to be aware of.

What sort of kit is best for surf?

Drysuit or wetsuit? It doesn’t matter, but there are two good reasons why a wetsuit might be better. Unlike other disciplines, it doesn’t matter how good you get at surf kayaking; there is always a chance you will swim! And when you are trying to get back to shore, it’s a lot easier swimming in a wetsuit than a drysuit.

The second reason a wetsuit might be better is being sleek and tied in with whatever else you decide to wear, including your buoyancy aid. You’ll be working hard when paddling out, especially as you punch through oncoming waves. Every time you do this, the wave will push against everything it can, including your kayak and everything you are wearing. Avoid wearing baggy, oversized cagoules and large buoyancy aids with multiple pockets. Sleek and tight-fitting is the way to go. While surfing, the same thing applies; you don’t want clothing dragging in the water, slowing you down.

A helmet is always a good idea. Earplugs if you want to avoid the long term ‘surfer’s ear’ problems. A good fitting neoprene spraydeck, but beware of a deck that is so tight that you can’t put it on as you launch from the beach. Paddles are generally relatively short, but no need for anything too extreme; whatever is comfortable for you.

And then there’s your kayak! No need for a surf kayak to get started. Most paddlers will use their river paddling kayak whilst developing their surfing skills, but a few things count. Longer is better than shorter for catching waves and your speed when surfing. Lower volume is better than loads of volume, especially when you are caught sideways on a white-water wave (and that happens a lot).

Flat hulls with sharp rails will allow you to carve and skid, which are the foundations of surfing manoeuvres. The top of my list includes the latest long stern, low volume river kayaks and some museum pieces like the old RPM and the Riot Glide!

What’s the best way start?

Get some coaching from some of our great surf kayak coaches. Claire, Glen, Emma and Matt have just been through their surf kayak coach training and will soon be adding to the number of coaches around the country. Getting coached is great fun and is a break from just going surfing. You’ll focus on paddling skills that will make you a better all-round paddler, including core stability, balance and loads of edge awareness exercises.

Surfing starts by understanding how to hold your kayak firmly whilst side slipping in whitewater waves. Once you can skid, you can move on to skidding with a rotation and maybe have a go at a paddle-out take off in the white water. Next, have a go at catching a wave and carving off to one side or another by really leaning into the wave.

Once you can tell the difference between skidding and carving, you’ll soon be able to balance your edge, body and paddle to traverse diagonally across the wave. Don’t try to go across the wave at too steep an angle, and remember to use your paddle on your beachward side as a rudder.

The main thing is to play and practice in manageable surf – the smaller, the better, as this is where your technique really counts. Look for beaches where the white water waves break to the shore; if they fade away, then they are passing through deep water again, and you’ll lose your ride as the wave dies away.

I’m happy with the basics, so what next?

There aren’t a million different manoeuvres and tricks in surfing. It’s more about being able to read the conditions and choose a wave that will provide the best quality and longest peeling section. Once you can read the surf, then bottom turns, top turns and cut-backs will get you a long way, even in competitions. From there, the right wave shape might allow you to get tubed or even airborne and the more you surf, the more comfortable you’ll get with larger waves and how to deal with them both on the paddle-out and to manage their power and speed as you surf along with them.

Moving into coaching and leadership

Why not get involved. Clubs across the country organise numerous surf trips, and within them, there are plenty of skilled paddlers that could branch out and pick up a surf leader or a surf coach qualification. The training alone will be interesting and fun, and you’ll get yourself up to date with all the latest skill progressions and surfing issues. Have a look at British Canoeing’s website for more information and places where you can get qualified.

What about competitions?

Have a go. Competitions are fun, and whether you are new to the sport or have been paddling for years, competition is a nice way to meet fellow surf kayakers and learn, borrow or steal skills that you like the look of. You would be welcome at any surf competition in any kayak, and you’ll find competitions around England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.

The World Championships will be in Bude between September 29th to October 9th. Competitors from the USA, Australia, France, Peru, Denmark, Spain and many more countries will compete in individual and team events throughout this period.

So if you are coming to the beach this summer either alone or with your club, then there’s plenty to do and if you want some help get in touch with a surf kayaking coach who’ll be happy to advise and help you develop your skills.

Simon Hammond is a Bude boy and former World Surf Kayaking Champion, and he has written the book Surf Kayaking: The Essential Guide. Simon is a coach provider and an international surf kayaking coach, and he and his wife run Shoreline Extreme Sports in Bude.

The photos in this feature focus on the recent coach training course run by Simon Hammond and Paul Hurrell for Claire Eatock, Emma Fishleigh, Glen Scott and Matt Hoyler.